The overall objective is the elucidation of the effects of acute and chronic ethanol consumption on subcellular organelles of the liver. It appears probable that the organelles principally involved in ethanol-induced injury to the liver are mitochondria and plasma membranes, together with cytosolic proteins and enzymes. It is clear that an understanding of the effects of acute and chronic ethanol, and its metabolite, acetaldehyde, at the cellular and subcellular levels is required for an understanding of underlying mechanisms of liver disease associated with alcohol abuse.